Sri Lanka (Commonwealth Union)_ The Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor on National Security to the Sri Lankan President, Sagala Ratnayake, embarked on a two-day visit to India, commencing on the 27th of March, to discuss the prospect of constructing a land bridge over the sea, connecting Tamil Nadu to the island. This visit to India primarily focuses on deliberations regarding the construction of a 23-kilometer-long route that would link the Tamil regions of Tamil Nadu and Tamil Eelam via land.
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The envisioned route is proposed to span over the Palk Strait, connecting Talaimannar and Rameswaram, and is anticipated to accommodate both vehicular traffic and a railway line. Reports suggest that alongside the bridge, the project entails the establishment of a highway system, facilitating direct travel from Talaimannar to Trincomalee in the East and Colombo in the South, with the initial road construction slated from Talaimannar to the Port of Trincomalee.
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During this visit, Ratnayake will engage with high-level Indian officials, as an extension of discussions initiated by Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Indian Prime Minister Modi on the project the previous year. Additionally, a senior government spokesperson underscored the objective of fostering economic growth and prosperity in both nations through this road infrastructure. This project is rooted in an agreement between India and Sri Lanka to explore the possibility of providing land access between the ports of Trincomalee and Colombo and Tamil Nadu, aligning with Delhi’s longstanding efforts to enhance ties with the Tamil North-East.
The agreement was forged during President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s visit to Delhi in July of the preceding year. Accordingly, following discussions at Hyderabad House, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Wickremesinghe finalized four agreements. With one accord intended to transform the Sri Lankan port of Trincomalee into a regional industrial and energy hub. During the bilateral meeting, both leaders discussed the necessity of conducting a feasibility study for land connectivity, encompassing not only ports but also air, maritime, trade, and energy domains.
Recently, India’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka elaborated on the government’s initial steps toward building a land corridor between the two regions, characterizing it as a transformative initiative. Addressing the annual dinner of the Sri Lanka-India Society, Santhosh Jha emphasized the significance of connectivity in bolstering bilateral relations, citing various recent initiatives by New Delhi. Jha reiterated the importance of connectivity in the emerging partnership between the two nations, highlighting the diverse dimensions including air, maritime, trade, digital, energy, and people-to-people connectivity. He also mentioned recent developments such as daily flights between Jaffna and Chennai and the launch of ferry services between India and Northern Sri Lanka. Additionally, sources disclosed that the Ministry of External Affairs of India has also devised roadmaps to start a feasibility study for the bridge, underscoring its commitment to comprehensive planning prior to advancement. Regarding the sea bridge proposal, Indian officials acknowledge the significant financial investment required and the necessity of evaluating technical, economic, and environmental aspects for its viability. However, the proposal has been a subject of discussion for over two decades, with resistance from certain quarters in Sri Lanka, citing concerns over sovereignty
